It's clear that I often talk about being present. It's not always easy to describe to someone how you know your are or what you do to get there.
I found an interesting article by Jon Aronstein, Applying Presence: A Practical Exploration of the Means- Whereby" * that gives you a simple exercise to allow yourself to come into the moment.
I had done a similar exercise a long time ago (I was focusing on my hand at the time), I was amazed that at the end I felt a lightness and joy. It crept in as the thoughts left and I simply became aware of my hand making the smallest of movements.
As with all things profound, embodying them is a journey, often entailing layers of awareness and understanding.
Try the exercise and see what happens. In its essence it is about slowing down and becoming 'aware of a type of presence, the "mind in the body." '
"Stand up comfortably, in a neutral and grounded position. Take one shoulder and begin circling it: Up, forwards, down, back, etc. Very easy indeed.
- Is the movement smooth and lubricated, or is it choppy and disconnected? Stop reading and sense.
Notice that this can be done on "auto pilot." That is, your intention is to circle your shoulders, your action is to circle your shoulders, done deal.
- Now begin "turning down the volume." Slow it down. Sense.
- Become acutely aware of the "quality" of the movement. Sense.
- Are the circles really circular? Stop reading and sense.
- Slower now. Let go of the goal of shoulder circles just be aware that you are making the circles. Let the circles happen. Don’t analyze them.
- What parts of the circle are flat?
- Can you feel why?
- What tensions prevent the smooth movement?
- Are you circling your shoulder blade? Do you feel your waist muscles? What are your hands and arms doing and feeling?
- What is happening in the rest of the body?
- What are your thoughts?
- Try to avoid labeling and just sense.
- Feel the special mood of concentration turned inward that shows up.
- Get smaller and smaller, stay in your comfortable range of motion.
- Get more "cortical and new" as you move away from moving "habitually and reflexively."
- Reverse directions of the circle and apply the same type of internal questioning and awareness.
- Continue for as long as you like... get the hang of this and do it without reading this, or find someone to read it to you the first few times until you do it on your own."
When you are through, just pay attention to what you feel, sense, and experience.
The article covers much more in regards to sensory-motor, somatic learning. It is well worth the read.
*published in the Newfield Network Newsletter, July, 2009
